Check-row attachment for corn-planters.



Nu. 693,72l. Patented Fab. l8, I902.

R. S. KIRKPATRICK.

CHECK ROW ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PLANTERS.

(Application filed Aug. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

THE scams PETERS co.. mowuumo, WASHEKGTBH. o. c

NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. KIRKPATRICK, OF DES MOINES, IOXVA, 'ASSIGNOR TO H. S.

BUTLER, OF DES MOINES, IOWVA.

CHECK-ROW ATTACHMENT FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

SPEGLFICATL'ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,721, datedFebruary 18, 1902. Application filed August 24, 1900. Serial No. 27,822.(No model.)

T to whom, it nutty concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. KIRKPAT- RICK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa,have invented a uewand useful Machine for Planting Corn in Rows, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to checlcrow attachments for corn-planters; and theobject of myinvention is to provide an attachment for corn-planters tooperate the seed-dropping mechanism at regular intervals, whichattachment is itself operated by a smooth wire stretched across thefield instead of a knotted or jointed wire. The use of a smooth wire forthis purpose is not new; but such machines have failed to drop seedaccurately, because there was slipping between the wire and the machine.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide devices whereby suchslipping is prevented.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the front or runner partof a corn-planter. My attachment is shown by continuous lines and theold structure by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of themeasuring-wheel; Fig. 3, a cross-section of the same on the line as a:of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the wire guide. Fig. 5

' is a cross-section through the wire guide on the line y y of Fig. l.Fig. 6 is a view of the Wire guide in the direction of the arrow A, Fig.1; and Fig. 7 is a view of the journal which supports the wire guide.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Of the old structure shown, t is the tongue, I) b brackets secured tothe planter-frame, B B the seedboxes, S the shaft for operating theseed-dropping mechanism in each box, and 7t a hook which operates anysuitable mechanism r on the end of the shaft S, such as a ratchet, theseparts not constituting a part of my invention, and any mechanism thatmay be found desirable may be substituted therefor.

The operation of my attachment is as follows: A smooth wire 10 isstretched across the field and the ends secured in the usual manner.This wire is shown in several views bya dash and two dot lines. Thiswire passes through the guide 11, around the measuringwheel 12, andthrough the-guide 13. As the planter is drawn across the field the wire10 groove when the tension on the wire is relaxed, as in turning around,the guides 11 and 13 are provided with springs 16 and 17, which pressthe wire against the sides of the guides, and thus keep that portion ofthe Wire between the guides under tension. These guides 11 and 13 areprovided with rollers, as 11 13 13 13. The guides are held on theplanterframe by the journal-boxes 18 19. The guides may rotate in thesejournal-boxes, but are usually held in nearly-horizontal positions bythe'springs 20 21, secured to the arms 22 and 23.

The rim of the wheel 12 is of sheet metal, having its circumferencedivided into sections 12 12", 850. These are bent alternately inopposite directions to form the V-shaped groove. The outer ends of thesections are bent over wires 2 25, which strengthen the rim. Thesheet-metal rim is bolted toacastiron center 26. The wheel is journaledsecurely to the planter-frame by the bolt 27.

The stud-pin 28, rigidly secured to the wheel, is connected with thelink let in the manner shown. The lever 15 is pivotally secured to thebrace 29 by the bolt 30. The brace is bolted to the planter-frame. Itwill be noticed that this check-row attachment may be put oncorn-planters now in use without any alteration of the planter.

Having now described the construction and operation of my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a check row attachment for cornplanters, guides for themeasuring-wire, and

leaf-springs attached to said guides adapted to bear against and producea tension in said wire. p

" 2. In a check-row attachment for cornplanters, a measuringwheelsecured to the corn 7 planter, a *V shaped circumferential groovetherein, a smooth measuring-wire, a guide at each side ofthecorn-planter, a trioa-tenjsion insaid measuring-wire.

tion device attached to said guides to produce In azcheck-rowattachmentfor cornplanters, a smooth wire adapted to be stretched aeross'the fieldto be planted, a guide for said wireat each'side of the corn-planter, ameasuring-wheel pivoted to the corn-planter, the

rim thereof formed of sheet metal, alternate sections of said rimpressed in opposite directions to form a circumferential groove toreccive said wire, and means for connecting said measuring-wheel withthe seed-dropping mechanism of the corn-planter.

4. A check-row attachment, for corn-planters, consisting of a smoothwire 10, a measuring-wheel 12, the guides 11 and 13 provided with theleaf-springs 16 and 17 attached there-' to, the link 14 and the lever 15connecting the I measuring-wheel with 'the seed dropping rollers thereinand leaf-springs attached to.

mechanism of the corn-planter.

'5. In a check row attachment for cornplanters adapted for'use with asmooth wire, angular guides for said wire, a succession of 7. In acheck-row attachment for cornplauters, an angular guide pivoted to eachside of the frame, an arm attached to each side of said frame, and aspring connecting the arm and guide on each side of said frame. 8. In acheck-row attachment for cornplanters, an angular guide pivoted to eachside of the frame, an upwardly-curved arm attached to each side of saidframe, and a spring connecting the arm and guide on each side of saidframe. 1

9. In a check-row attachment for cornplanters, adapted for use with asmooth wire, angular guides, a succession of rollers therein, a tensiondevice attached to said guides, means for keeping said guides in asubstantiallyhorizontal position, a measuring-Wheel formed with a rim ofsheet metal cut radially, the sections between said radial cuts bentalternately in opposite directions from the plane of said rim.

10. In a check-row attachment for cornplanters, a smooth wire adaptedto'be stretched across the field to be planted, a measuringwhcel pivotedto the corn-planter, the rim of the measuring-wheel being formed ofsheet metal, alternate sections of said rim being pressed in oppositedirections to form a circu mferential groove to receive said Wire, meansfor connecting said measuring-Wheel with the seed-dropping mechanism ofthe corn-planter, a guide for said wire on each side of saidmeasuring-wheel, and yielding pressure devices connected with the guidesand arranged to apply a tension to said wire on opposite sides of saidwheel.

R. S. KIRKPATRICK.

\Vitnesses:

E. B. KENDALL, H. E. WILLSIE.

